Your 1D Mark III after the fix

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Archive 2009 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Jeff
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p.8 #1 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

[Sorry in advance for cross-posting this in another thread before I realized that this is the 'Master' thread on the subject, but I figure I'm due after the dozens of hours I put into this debacle back in the day... Regards to all! -Jeff

------------------------------------------

Jeez, it's about time. I haven't logged on in quite awhile (nor have I picked up my MkIII lately), and of course I haven't heard a thing from Canon. Finally, some sort of resolution (no pun intended) to this problem, hopefully! I truly can't believe how long this has dragged on, and starting with my first post on this subject on 12/10/07, it looks like they are finally admitting to the specific problems I outlined in detail in my post of 7/3/08. So, I'm just curious (and not keeping up with current events, obviously), what are all the people who ragged on us MkIII Whiners saying now?

Wow, has it been a long road. Now all I have to do is send my camera in yet one...more... time...

I hope this one sticks.

Regards to all,

Jeff

PS: Man I just have to laugh at Canon's intro to their MkIII AF webpage:

"Canon has learned that some EOS-1D Mark III and EOS-1Ds Mark III cameras may suffer from problems in the accuracy of the AF (autofocusing) feature and is now offering free accuracy checks and adjustments for any affected products."

They've learned? Just now? In March of 2009? Did the frickin' memo get misplaced for a year?

Wow. I don't know what to say...

Canon offers its sincerest apologies to customers using these products who have been inconvenienced by this issue.

I guess "It's about time..." works for me!

-J

Mar 29, 2009 at 03:05 PM

jonbrach
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p.8 #2 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

http://jlb.smugmug.com/gallery/7684021_NqEe8/1/496345464_3L7Z7

pictures after the fix in spring training florida about a week or so ago.....I am extremely happy

Mar 29, 2009 at 06:32 PM

Curator
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p.8 #3 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

gbee wrote:
Nikon had ALWAYS been the leaders and Canon the copiers

So I guess it's true that loss of memory really does occur as you get older!

Mar 29, 2009 at 07:10 PM

voltaire
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p.8 #4 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

John,
Thanks for the phone number. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Voltaire

Mar 30, 2009 at 01:36 AM

bshamilton
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p.8 #5 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Well, this is quite bizarre!! On Thursday, and again yesterday (Monday the 30th March), I was told by a Canon FSC (I called the 732 phone number) rep that my camera was on hold, awaiting the mirror box ass'y and other parts. They said they ought to arrive within 7-10 days. Others here, Gary Johnson for one, had reported a quick 2 day turnaround, last week. I'm thinking....what the hell is going on up there

Today, my camera arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm still thinking.....what the hell is going on up there

Anyway, what pisses me off is, with the expectations from the phone calls, I was unprepared..... all my gear is at home so I've got to wait til tonite to try the sucker out!!!

Fingers still crossed!

Barry

ps,
btw, the note said that, besides the mirror box assembly being replaced and firmware updated, also replaced were the mirror charge & SH charge lever assembly parts.

Mar 31, 2009 at 05:42 PM

mill4570
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p.8 #6 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Jeff,

Where have you been?

Richard K.

Mar 31, 2009 at 05:59 PM

j.brevard
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p.8 #7 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

How are they shipping it back UPS or Fed Ex? I don't know how to check to see if it's done, it's been there a week today and the way everyone had talked i figured i'd have it back by now.

Mar 31, 2009 at 06:00 PM

lamonica66
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p.8 #8 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

mine came back fed ex..

call canon for a delivery date

Mar 31, 2009 at 06:23 PM

pubtime
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p.8 #9 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Got my new Mark III (well not new, but new to me). Mine had firmware 1.2.5 installed when I got it by the previous owner. I called Canon and they said that my serial didn't need to come in so I guess I just got get out there and see how she does.

Can you tell when a camera was mfg by the serial? Mine is 580xxx.

Thanks!

Mar 31, 2009 at 06:49 PM

John P Mulgrew
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p.8 #10 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Call the number I posted on the previous page and just have the serial number handy if possible and they will give you your repair tracking number to look up. Received my other body yesterday and got the repair # yesterday, says it's done and now I'll just wait for FedEx tracking and I'm sure it will be here on thurs, just like last week when I got my MKIII back. Now I'm going to finally try that body with the 70-200 2.8 at a hs girls softball game and we'll see if it really is fixed, I'm thinking it is

Mar 31, 2009 at 07:27 PM

Jeff
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p.8 #11 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

mill4570 wrote:
Jeff,

Where have you been?

Richard K.

Oh, around, just not around here too much. Slow time of year for shooting, and the weather here has been conducive to being on the bicycle, so I've basically been riding my arse off. Of course now that it's officially spring, we're back to winter here in CO...

I guess I'll send mine in one of these days, now would probably be a good time since I haven't used it lately...

Regards to all,

Jeff

Apr 01, 2009 at 03:40 AM

John P Mulgrew
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p.8 #12 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Well just like last week when I got my MKIII back on Thurs I'll be getting the 1DsMKIII back on Thursday

Jeff you may as well send it in while they are still cranking them out, if you wait longer then they may not have as many people working on them and it will take longer.

Apr 01, 2009 at 12:37 PM

willis
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p.8 #13 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Just got my 1DIII back today and have just shot my 10 y.o. son running toward me at full speed in AI servo with the 135 F2 wide open (from about 50 feet to close to MFD). Definite improvements with centre point AI servo - 15/20 or so pin sharp, another 2/20 accepably so, even the 3 softer frames are obvious failures of the AF to quite keep up close to MFD rather than the unpredictable wildly OOF frames I'd occasionally get before. I've repeated this test several times with very similar results. Less hunting when focusing on static subjects in AI servo too.
The whole AF system seems 'tighter' and I thought mine was good before the fix (80% success or so at f2.8 previously but f2 was pushing it with rapidly moving targets). This was with default settings and no MA, straight after the adjustments by canon (calibration only-no mechanical fixes).
I tried this sort of testing a lot before sending it in and there is a noticeable difference in performance and the 'feel' of the AF in AI servo. Haven't tried the outer point accuracy yet as I hadn't used them extensively before to be able to compare but I'm sure what Canon have done has improved servo tracking.

Apr 01, 2009 at 01:39 PM

Geofn
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p.8 #14 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Got my 1Ds3 back today. Total of 12 days round trip. AF seems slightly more consistent, but then I never really noticed any significant problems before. Viewfinder dust is gone and the LCD now has a protective cover. I'm happy.

Apr 01, 2009 at 11:30 PM

patriot
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p.8 #15 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Almost embarrased to ask this one ... but here goes: has anyone noticed anything different about the LCD? Like sharper resolution? Maybe my eyesight has improved .... definitely not new glasses or anything like that.

Apr 02, 2009 at 01:36 AM

John P Mulgrew
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p.8 #16 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Well now I don't know. Today was the first time using my MKIII in bright sun at a softball game and I'm not liking what I'm seeing. I'll go through all the shots and there's another game tomorrow and I will go to that but I'm seeing some oof shots. I just want to make sure it's not me and I was using HTP and think that I'll turn it off tomorrow to see. I really hope it's my problem but there seems to be quite a few oof shots of batters.

Apr 02, 2009 at 01:51 AM

Cementjungle
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p.8 #17 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

John P Mulgrew wrote:
Well just like last week when I got my MKIII back on Thurs I'll be getting the 1DsMKIII back on Thursday

Jeff you may as well send it in while they are still cranking them out, if you wait longer then they may not have as many people working on them and it will take longer.

I called them today to see if they have a status on mine yet, since the UPS tracking info said they received it Monday morning. I was told It was sent back out to me yesterday (Tuesday) via FedEx 2nd day air. I never received any email or anything... so I hope the guy on the phone was correct.

Apr 02, 2009 at 03:02 AM

K_Strecker
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p.8 #18 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

This thread needs more PICS!!

Got the camera back yesterday. Which is misleading, I got it back from New Jersey where it was determined that the noise my camera made during sensor auto-cleaning was completely normal . . . which is fine.

but it went straight to NJ after the AF fix, so here's my first full day with it back.

Testing AI servo with rocket-fast objects flying waaaay too fast

300 f/4 IS, borrowed for this use. First time using the lens. Ring o' Fire!

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Next time, when using ROF, i'll be turning the sensitivity up for sure.

Testing AI servo on static object using off-center point and 85 f/1.2 wide open!

big improvement in this area

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Testing ridiculously low light focusing. It remains intact and is more accurate on non-center points!

1/12 @ f/1.2 and ISO 6400. 50mm

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 02, 2009 at 03:40 AM

j.brevard
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p.8 #19 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

since mine came back it's got a whine noise when the sensor clean comes on. I'm having a hard time telling if it's fixed or not, i'm gonna shoot some softball to double check mine tomorrow

Apr 02, 2009 at 03:50 AM

K_Strecker
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p.8 #20 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

I climbed through the ranks of canon tech persons until I finally reached the top, literally. And the kind gentlemen reassured me that some noise is normal, but that they have pretty much total control over the frequency of the sensor cleaner and they could 'tune' it out if I really wanted them to.

He double confirmed that it's not a symptom of a larger problem of any kind, and that's all I really cared about.

The support reps at the 1800 number thought it was abnormal and that's why I sent it in, but there's no more of a final word than the opinions of the guy I talked to so that's who I'm going to trust.

Apr 02, 2009 at 03:55 AM

Emile Gregoire
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p.8 #21 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Time to dig up this thread again. Lost somewhere in the pages of it is my history with my 1D III. To recoup: it was bought just after the sub-mirror fix, sent in last August with quite some AF problems to no avail, sent in again two weeks ago for the latest fix (incl. the Err99 one which had been rearing its ugly had more and more often) which only deteriorated the problem (and introduced new Error codes) and so it went straight back again. No need to tell you I was p'd off big time.

So this afternoon I receive a phone call that it was fixed and to please come and collect it. Just before closing time I walk in and the guy behind the counter smiles and says: "Good afternoon Mr. Gregoire, have I got a surprise for you" and hands me over a new 1D III

(complete in its box with the works including a fresh battery - man I can set up a battery store!)

Flabbergasted has always been one of my favorite English words and describes accurately how I felt. I've just come in and haven't tested my new machine. Thought a little celebration with an icy cold beer was in order first. Here I was already preparing the battlegrounds with Canon's corporate machine...

Anyway, they did find problems and with its history in mind decided that it was better to just hand over a new one instead of trying to fix it yet again. Hey, is this service or what? I'm guessing it's from stock they probably yanked back from dealers to be serviced; it's a 579*** serial. Think I read somewhere someone had a 580*** serial. Just the confirmation that I wasn't mad but the camera was, makes me smile as I type this.

So this weekend's for testing, Monday and Tuesday it'll see its first action on two events. Didn't come a moment too soon!

Have a jolly weekend & thank you Canon!
signed: one happy camper

Apr 03, 2009 at 04:43 PM

lexvo
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p.8 #22 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Great news, Emile. Hope this cam works fine for you.

I would celebrate it with a Lagavulin....

Apr 03, 2009 at 04:51 PM

Grantland
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p.8 #23 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

great news emile! all your patients has paid off.

Apr 03, 2009 at 04:58 PM

Emile Gregoire
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p.8 #24 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

Thanks Lex, Grant,

I've put aside the beer and just tried it. At first I didn't want to: what if it behaved in exactly the same way...

But, man, what a difference. Night and day! I tried the worst offender: my 24-70L at 24mm. With my previous body, only center point would focus accurately (90% of the time with this particular lens) and all other points would front-focus severely, especially the outer points (severely as in: point it at a building 100 meters away and it would focus at 3 meters). This body however just works at all points!

And so, Lex, only now it's time to open the Lagavullin

Apr 03, 2009 at 05:07 PM

Gust
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p.8 #25 · Your 1D Mark III after the fix

one off my 2 body's had constant error 99, 10+ times a day, after the fix.
today I send it back to cps.
I got crazy about it .
before the fix I never had 1 error. this is my oldest body. it is the first in may 2007 50xxxx

Apr 03, 2009 at 05:13 PM


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